Uploading contacts on Facebook refers to importing your phone or email contacts to Facebook so you can find friends already using Facebook or invite friends who aren’t on Facebook yet to join.
Why Would You Upload Contacts on Facebook?
There are a few key reasons why people upload their contacts to Facebook:
- To find friends already on Facebook – One of the main goals of uploading contacts is to see which of your contacts is already using Facebook so you can connect with them or send them friend requests. When you upload your contacts, Facebook will match them against existing user profiles and show you any connections.
- To invite friends not on Facebook – Another purpose is to then invite the contacts who aren’t yet on Facebook to join the network. Facebook makes it easy to send invites to the contacts who don’t have accounts so you can expand your friend network.
- To grow your network – By uploading your contacts and finding connections, you can quickly expand your Facebook friend list and connections.
- For Facebook’s “People You May Know” – The contacts you upload also help improve Facebook’s friend recommendation algorithm in the “People You May Know” section. So it benefits both you and Facebook.
What Contacts Can You Upload to Facebook?
You can upload a few different types of contact lists and address books to Facebook:
- Gmail contacts
- Yahoo Mail contacts
- Hotmail/Outlook contacts
- Phone contacts – from your iPhone, Android device, etc.
- Contact files – such as .csv files
The ability to upload contacts makes it easy to quickly find your existing connections and invite new ones without having to manually search for each one.
How to Upload Contacts to Facebook
Uploading contacts is simple on both desktop and mobile. Here are the steps:
From Desktop
- Go to your Facebook homepage and click on the down arrow in the top right corner next to the question mark.
- Select “Settings & Privacy” then choose “Settings”.
- Click “Contacts” in the left menu.
- You will see options to upload contacts from Gmail, Yahoo, and Hotmail/Outlook. Click on the one you want to use.
- Enter your email address and password when prompted. Grant Facebook permission to access your contacts.
- Your contacts will start uploading. You’ll get notified as Facebook finds matches.
- When finished, you can start sending friend requests to connections and inviting others.
From Mobile
- Open the Facebook app on your iPhone or Android.
- Tap the three-line “hamburger” menu icon in the top right corner.
- Choose “Settings & Privacy” then “Settings”.
- Select “Contacts” from the menu.
- Pick where you want to upload contacts from – your phone’s contacts list is the easiest option.
- Tap “Continue” and grant Facebook permission to access your contacts.
- The upload will begin and you’ll be notified as your friends are found.
- Send friend requests and invites when finished.
What Happens When You Upload Contacts?
Here is an overview of what happens next once you upload contacts:
- Facebook will match your contacts against current Facebook user profiles.
- You will get notifications about any matches found and can send friend requests.
- For contacts without Facebook accounts, you can send invites so they can join.
- Your uploaded contacts improve Facebook’s suggestions in “People You May Know”.
- Any info from your contacts is saved to improve future recommendations.
- You can find your imported contacts under the “Contacts” section in your Facebook account settings.
- You can remove any imported contacts at any time if you change your mind.
So in summary, uploading contacts helps you connect with more people while also helping Facebook improve the platform. It’s a win-win for both sides.
Are There Privacy Risks from Uploading Contacts?
Some people may have concerns about privacy when uploading their contacts to Facebook. Here are a few key points about privacy and contact uploads:
- You have control over the whole process – uploading contacts is entirely optional.
- Facebook only gets info about your contacts like names, emails, and phone numbers – no other personal details are accessed.
- Your contacts information helps personalize Facebook, but is not used for advertising purposes.
- Facebook does not share your contacts information with anyone else.
- You can delete uploaded contacts at any time after importing.
So while it gives Facebook access to your contacts, they promise not to misuse the information or share it externally. There are still risks, but you maintain a level of control.
Alternatives to Uploading Contacts
If you are uncomfortable uploading your contacts directly, there are alternatives:
- Manually search for friends and send invites
- Let friends invite you to join
- Join Facebook groups and pages based on your interests
While these may be slower ways to build connections, they let you avoid uploading your private contact information.
Pros of Uploading Contacts to Facebook
Some advantages of uploading your contacts include:
- Find friends already on Facebook quickly
- Easily invite many friends not on Facebook yet
- Rapidly grow your Facebook network
- Discover old friends or connections
- Improve Facebook’s friend recommendations
- Simple and easy process to import contacts
For many people, the benefits outweigh potential privacy concerns. It’s the fastest way to kickstart your Facebook friend list.
Cons of Uploading Contacts to Facebook
Some potential downsides to consider:
- Privacy risks since Facebook accesses your data
- Some contacts may not like that you shared their info
- Can be annoying if lots of friends then invite you to join
- Gives Facebook your valuable personal data
- Possible spam if contacts aren’t careful about what they share
While Facebook tries to minimize cons, handing over your contacts still makes some uneasy. You have to evaluate the pros and cons yourself.
Conclusion
Uploading your contacts to Facebook can turbocharge your friend list and connections. But it also comes with privacy tradeoffs you need to be comfortable with. Consider alternatives like manual invites if you are worried about sharing your data. Weigh the pros and cons based on your personal preferences. But once uploaded, it sure makes it easier to find and connect with both old and new friends on Facebook.